


He Breathed

by MidnightsNightmares



Category: The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod - Heather Brewer
Genre: Other, because i love him and he is my son, dorian survives the staking incident, this is so long of dorian and vlad just talking about their problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2016-04-08
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:18:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6491491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightsNightmares/pseuds/MidnightsNightmares
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Or, where Dorian lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Breathed

After everything Vlad has ever gone through, the moments where he found himself rendered completely useless was typically when it came to saving innocent people from the worst things possible. So the second he had Dorian in his arms, bleeding out to death, he decided for once he was going to be the hero.

  
He had to be a hero. Even if Dorian was grasping at his wrist, telling him not to do it, the stern look Vlad had given him made him fall silent. He seemed genuinely stunned at the assertiveness Vlad was showing off, seeing as Vlad had always been somewhat nervous and timid around Dorian before (though, who wouldn't be timid in front of the person who's tried to bite and drink their blood multiple times now).

  
But getting Dorian to drink the blood that Vlad gave off was harder than Vlad would have ever suspected. Dorian was always following and attacking Vlad before just for even a drop of Vlad's blood, acting like a greedy selfish bastard that would pursue what he wanted until he got it, but the second he has the perfect and reasonable opportunity to take a taste of it, he's turning his head, closing his eyes and muttering a soft but curt and stern, "you shouldn't do this".

  
Vlad refused to have it. Dorian said he had only one secret, and Vlad wasn't about to hear it in his last few dying breaths.

  
Joss was a problem, and he doesn't doubt that they'll be followed, but just for now, Vlad needed to get Dorian to safety. For a brief moment he attempted to contact Otis, but realized how much of a bad choice that would be seeing as the two weren't on good terms the last time they encountered. He doubted Otis would be so willing to help, but when the snap of a stick rang sharply in his right ear, fresh blood drizzling onto his clothes from Dorian's back, he decided that help could wait.

  
He knew moving around would be very painful for the older vampire, but Vlad knew he couldn't just leave him here so Joss could finish the job while he ran off to find help or even sat there waiting for help. He even wasn't entirely sure if Joss would even try to finish the job on Dorian seeing as the specific vampire Joss was hunting was Vlad. Dorian had saved his life.

  
Again, he had to remind himself of that. Dorian just saved his life. He took a stake through the chest for him, and Vlad was going to save him even if it meant taking a lot of risks to do it. God, just the idea of that put tension into the air. The change that happened so quickly before his eyes before he could even process it fully...it was sick. It was sweet. Development put at a pace too fast for his head to wrap around. All within the span of a second, everything was shattering like glass. And just like glass, Vlad wasn't sure if he could pick up all of the pieces in time before someone got hurt.

  
Scarily enough, that was an accurate comparison. Broken glass. That was Vlad's life. Lost shards, dangerous ones; the tiny pieces that held secrets that always remained hidden in the carpets yet when Vlad stepped on one, he suffered more consequences then he thought he would, and it was always beyond his understanding why.

  
Vlad couldn't be thinking about this right now.

  
Vlad stripped himself of his jacket, helping Dorian lift his upper body so he could tie it tightly against the wound. Dorian groaned softly under his breath, reminding Vlad what it felt like back then when Joss had successfully staked him two years ago, and he remembered just as perfectly as he did then how painful it was. That phantom ache rested in his chest as Dorian muttered a curse word when Vlad was done before grabbing his hand and telling Dorian that he just needed to last a little longer until they were safe, and until they were alone. Somewhere Vlad could do everything he knew to help him recover as quickly as possible (aka, trying again to shove his blood down Dorian's throat but given how stubborn he was a few moments ago he knew how difficult that would be).

  
And then, halfway dragging the injured vampire, looking around for any signs of the slayer behind him, Vlad settled on the belfry. It was a bit of a walk, but all they had to do was tough it out until they made it but it didn't stop Vlad from becoming paranoid. That phantom ache and invisible stake stuck out in his own chest, his breathing becoming difficult as he had to use most of his strength then to help Dorian keep standing on both feet. The belfry was the only place Vlad could think to bring Dorian where Joss couldn't bother either of them. He couldn't get up that high this time of night, and luckily for Vlad and Dorian that was no issue with their abilities.

  
All he could do now was breathe a sigh of relief as they stepped into the belfry, immediately help Dorian to the floor in a comfortable position and knelt by Dorian's side again, fangs at the ready to gnash into his own wrist but once more Dorian shook his head. Vlad nearly cursed at the man right away, but he knew it was pointless. Dorian was stubborn.

  
"Vlad...no."

  
"Dorian," Vlad said, his tone more than irritated. "You're dying."

  
"I know."

  
"You're _okay_ with that?"

  
Dorian closed his eyes at that.

  
"I've...lived a long life, Vlad. It will be fine."

  
He didn't have time to listen to that garbage. Vlad needed him, and that was the last thing he ever thought he would admit to himself. He had to save him. He could save him. This time, he was fully capable of saving this person unlike the others. And just because the brat was laying on the floor and insisting that he didn't want to be saved wouldn't put a block on Vlad. There was no way anymore. Vlad had to do this.

  
Vlad bit into his wrist anyway, much to Dorian's disapproval. He winced at his own fangs sliding into his wrist, blood immediately dripping off. He tried to offer it to Dorian, but he displayed the same behavior as before; turning his head away, telling him with a firm 'no' that it was unnecessary. Vlad could only sigh, distressed, unsure of how to make the older vampire cooperate with him. He didn't really know what to do at all, seeing as he was completely going off on the things his uncle had told him he'd done when Vlad was staked. That also had included going to the hospital, but the idea of that made Vlad nervous. He couldn't bring Dorian there. Something, maybe intuition, told him that it wouldn't be a good idea.

  
"Please," Vlad begged when he pulled away. It was all he had to resort to.

  
"Just...take the blood. I don't mind."

  
Dorian's lips twitched into a smile. Of all times, especially when he's laying on the floor with a hole in his chest, he's managing a smile. Vlad had to remember, as plenty of times before, that Dorian was always somewhat mad. Of course he would smile in the time that had his life hanging on a thread. Maybe this was all amusing to him. Everything seemed to be funny to Dorian if he really thought about it, save for the one time he'd mentioned his son.

  
"You seemed...to have minded before."

  
"Don't bring that up," Vlad nearly snapped. His teeth were fully elongated, and he took the chance to bare them down at Dorian with a small growl that even surprised him.

  
Dorian didn't look intimidated, but curious to see where Vlad was going with this.

  
"Look, you...you just...you _can't_ die on me. Okay?"

  
Dorian's eyes closed. His chest was rising and falling softly, more calmly compared to how it had been before when they were walking. He was relaxing, which was both a good sign and a bad sign. His blood would be all over this belfry. It had already been ripped apart by some unknown person once, and the blood would just be a nice addition to make this entire sacred place look like an absolute wreck that he didn't take care of at all. And considering this had been his father's space, that statement was quite the opposite.

  
"This...this isn't what was foretold..."

  
"I - I don't care."

  
"It matters, whether or not you like it."

  
Vlad clenched his teeth again. Something grew bitter right in the center of his chest, dripping off of his words when he spoke up again. He couldn't believe him. He was just trying to help, and he's seriously refusing him?

  
Vlad has had enough.

  
"Dammit, Dorian! This isn't a time to screw around! I don't - I don't really give half a _damn_ what you foretold or this stupid prophecy said, because I say you need to live!"

  
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. His voice was lower, softer - almost too quiet to hear, but in the silent belfry Dorian could hear him perfectly.

  
"Take the blood."

  
And in that instant, Dorian turned his head back toward Vlad. He glared at him for a moment, and Vlad got confused until Dorian spat a soft confirmation under his breath. Vlad was almost surprised at how abruptly easily Dorian was complying with him, but instead of pressing further right away, he knew Dorian didn't have much longer, so that would have to wait until later. He needed blood, and he needed it now. There was no time for conversation right at this second but for some reason Vlad had begun to suspect perhaps Dorian complied on a will that wasn't his own.

  
Maybe Vlad was gaining more powers then he thought. More powers similar to Dorian's.

  
Vlad held his wrist to Dorian's mouth, still bleeding, and Dorian drank. Vlad wasn't sure how much he would need to heal a wound this bad, but when he heard those spider-like sounds once more, much like he had heard when D'Ablo drank his blood to heal himself, he was surprised to look down and see the wound closing up almost immediately. It shocked him, knowing very well that when Otis had given him his blood when he was staked, he didn't heal this fast. He took a month to heal completely, but this was unbelievably working like some sort of miracle. He glanced back to Dorian, who's eyes were glowing that bright blue he'd shown him moments before this, showing that same surprise.

  
Dorian was just as shocked as he was.

  
Vlad pulled away his wrist just as the bite wounds healed and closed up on its own, looking down at Dorian's damaged clothing and his now much better wound. Vlad was suspecting to have to go find bandages and pain medication for the man but with the way the color was returning to Dorian's skin and how he seemed to be more relaxed and tired then he was about to give up on this life, he found a shaky breath passing through his lips. It was hard to believe. He knew what his blood could do when he gave it to others; he's seen it himself. But this was somehow too much.

  
"How..."

  
"Hah...my young friend, it seems...even the smaller bits of the prophecy are right..."

  
Vlad regarded Dorian with a curious look. Dorian merely smiled, casually, as if he weren't lying in a pool of his own blood right now.

  
"The Pravus' blood...is said to be very strong. Strong enough to heal even the worst injuries in seconds."

  
Dorian paused.

  
"I suppose...though I knew that and even heard it to be true, I never could bring myself to believe that kind of blood existed."

  
Vlad kept his eyes on where the wound had been, all the while speaking to him.

  
"Is that why you wanted to bite me before? To prove yourself right or wrong?"

  
Dorian shook his head.

  
"No. Perhaps...I'm more selfish then I thought. The scent of your blood...was absolutely mesmerizing. I decided that I had to have it."

  
Dorian's chuckle was deep, but somehow embarrassed as Vlad glanced back up at his face.

  
"I'm really a child, aren't I?"

  
"You're telling me," Vlad mumbled sarcastically before he glanced around, standing once more to look out at the ground below, just to be sure he really had lost Joss for good this night. Tomorrow, he would give Joss a very stern talking-to; meaning, he needed to stay away from Vlad until he apologized directly to Dorian. Sure, Joss has yet to actually apologize to Vlad for the time he staked him, but this was injustice. Dorian might be hated widely by the Elysian community, but that didn't matter to Vlad.

  
Dorian understood and knew something that the vampires of Elysia could never understand. That feeling of being an outcast. Unwanted. Despised. Only Dorian would ever have that type of feeling they both could relate to, and perhaps that's why Vlad forced Dorian to take the blood so he could be healed. He couldn't handle the thought of losing that one person who knew how to help him in ways others could not help him. Even though their time together in the past was short, and sometimes Vlad had to dodge Dorian's bite attempts, but it didn't matter. What did matter was that Dorian understood, and that was enough.

  
"My friend..." Dorian said softly. He heard him shifting, and Vlad turned around to find Dorian struggling to sit. He wondered if it still hurt, despite the wound being gone. He was still exhausted, if anything. He needed rest. Even if he was better, he needed to get some serious sleep so he could have his strength back.

  
With a small grunt of disapproval from Vlad, he walked back over to him, kneeling by him once more to support him.

  
"You should...probably sleep."

  
"On the floor?"

  
"I can't bring you to my house," Vlad said. "If Otis found out I've been talking with you..."

  
Dorian managed another smile.

  
"Ah, right. We aren't exactly on good terms."

  
"He's told me more then once since that stunt you pulled at his house to stay away from you."

  
And just like that, the smile on Dorian's lips faded. Vlad suspected he just didn't like the idea of being alone. Or hearing people say to people to stay away from him. He had to remind himself many times that Elysia saw Dorian as a madman, but Vlad was sure it was all misunderstanding. Dorian might do bad things, has and had done the worst possible things Vlad could think of, but he was also sure that was no reason to cast Dorian aside like this.

  
"I believe that." Dorian finally said.

  
"I...um..." Vlad started to rack his brain, to think of a place to take Dorian where he would be safe to fully recover. He thought about Henry's house, but quickly crossed that out just as soon as the thought came. Putting him under the same roof with the same slayer that had almost just killed him likely wasn't a good idea. That was out of the question. He thought again briefly about the hospital, but just as soon as he began to think that it might be their best option, Dorian shook his head.

  
"No. Don't bring me there."

  
Vlad raised an eyebrow.

  
"Bring you where?"

  
"A hospital is unnecessary."

  
Vlad was reminded of Dorian's powers. With a small grimace, he muttered under his breath bitterly to get out of his thoughts. Dorian laughed.

  
"It's hard to ignore your thoughts when it's quiet up here."

  
Vlad had to agree, he supposed, but it gave him no right to be lurking in his thoughts. They needed to keep their voices down right now (assuming Dorian also heard that thought just now, he didn't need to say it out loud). Joss couldn't reach them here if he didn't know they were here. So this was a safe haven just as long as they were quite.

  
"We have to get you somewhere. I don't think a belfry right now is the best place."

  
And that meant he would have to do what he didn't want to do. And that was be honest with Otis, where there were two other vampires in the house that would protect Dorian. If Vlad could convince him, that is. Just for a night. Let Dorian regain the strength he just lost from the stake wound, and then Dorian could leave and go about his merry way somewhere else and they could all go back to where Vlad would be walking around one night and Dorian would find him and try to attack him because dammit, even if Vlad was absolutely scared in those moments Dorian tried to bite him, it eventually became normal to worry about his presence.

  
Vlad was just beginning to accept he had problems adjusting to change.

  
"I'm going to contact Otis," Vlad finally said. Dorian didn't respond right away, but Vlad was waiting for a shake or nod of the head. He didn't do anything. Rather, it was his silent way of telling Vlad to do what he wanted.

  
"Even so, I have concerns," Dorian finally said. "...Your uncle is not fond of me."

  
Vlad pursed his lips briefly. "I wouldn't let him kill you."

  
"He'll be angry." Dorian reminded him.

  
"He'll listen whether or not he likes it, though," Vlad said in reply. Before Dorian could get another word in, Vlad reached out with his mind to find his uncle. Dorian merely closed his mouth, leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling above. Otis would have to listen to him in the end. If Otis couldn't help a person who's only asking for so little, then Vlad would have to rethink who his uncle was. He knew his uncle to be a stern man, set in his ways unless proven wrong, but he was kind. Generous. Helpful. Willing to listen. And yes, Vlad knew Otis had given Dorian a stern warning to stay away from Vlad that night, and likely he was going to be angry to hear that he hadn't at all, but Otis had to help. He knew the belfry was a good place for now, but he also had to remind himself that just because he was numb to the sun didn't mean Dorian was. That was just another problem to worry about if Vlad couldn't get his uncle's help.

  
_"Otis, we have a problem."_

  
Otis didn't hesitate to reply. He rarely has since the day Vlad was staked and cried out for help telepathically.

  
_"What is it?"_

  
Vlad swallowed harshly. This could only go so well. He looked back down at Dorian, who was merely tracing out the patterns of the ceiling with his eyes. The poor man looked absolutely exhausted.

  
_"Dorian's hurt."_

  
Or, well, in reality, had been hurt. He wasn't anymore, but there was the matter of blood loss.

  
_"Dorian? Vlad, what's - "_

  
_"I was walking home and Joss came and tried to stake me again, but Dorian took the hit for me. I healed him, and he's fine, but he's exhausted. He needs to rest. Can he come and stay at your house? Just for tonight?"_

  
_"Why would Dorian protect - "_

  
_"It doesn't matter,"_ Vlad said, hearing his own voice go nearly desperate. Mentioning that Dorian had saved him would likely persuade Otis. To have Dorian almost kill him before to saving Vlad from another stake through the chest had to earn him some points to get on Otis' good side.

  
"He needs...he needs to just sleep. I'll watch over him so he doesn't be a problem. Is that okay?"

  
Otis didn't reply for a long time. Rather, he cut Vlad off with a crunch and Vlad let out a small gasp of surprise as he was forced out of Otis's mind. He looked down at Dorian again, who met his eyes with curiosity. Vlad offered the best he could at that very moment, and that was a small unsure shrug of the shoulders. He didn't know if Otis was mad at him, or just ignoring him to keep Dorian out of his house again, but just as Vlad was about to give up and tell Dorian he would go find things to make him comfortable in the belfry, suddenly Otis reached out to him again, his voice soft. He likely picked up on the fact that Vlad was worried Otis might have just left them both to struggle to find out what to do.

  
_"It's fine, Vlad. But tell him if he so much as causes even one issue..."_

  
And Vlad's heart lifted with relief.

  
_"Okay...I will. Can you help me get him there?"_

  
_"...Of course."_

  
Otis didn't sound so willing, but he would do anything for Vlad. Vlad couldn't offer much reassurance that Dorian wouldn't try and create problems but even Vlad knew that Dorian was much more then a grown man and would know when to keep himself in line.

  
"I guess you heard all of that," Vlad said with an air of irritation.

  
Dorian laughed.

  
"Of course."

  
**.     .     .**

  
Otis didn't hold back when he came to help. Lifting Dorian up with a hefty sigh and telling him in extensive detail he didn't want any surprises from Dorian if he does this. Dorian seemed to listen, but the smile on his lips told Vlad enough that Dorian was just amused at all the fuss. On the edge of death only minutes before or not, it seemed Dorian couldn't handle how people talked to him like he was just an inconvenience or a troublesome child. Vlad thought that just might hurt over time but perhaps Dorian just found it all ridiculous at this point. He's likely heard it all.

  
Even as Dorian limped to Otis's car, Vlad keeping an eye out for the slayer, he could feel the unease radiating off of Otis. Despite Dorian's attempts to reassure Otis that when he woke, he would up and leave no matter what time of day it was. Though he was promised protection through gritted teeth from Otis, he turned and gave Vlad a look right away that said that promise would be broken if he woke up to find Dorian recreating the incident that had happened the last time he was in his home.

  
Now inside of Otis's house, Vikas had greeted Dorian with a look of warmth, it had that same underhanded saying there; he would rip Dorian apart if he so tried to bite Vlad under this roof again. Otis was safe from the Council now, which meant that Dorian's life was of no value right now if it meant protecting the people Vikas cared about.

  
"I wasn't expecting open arms," Dorian said once he was laying on the bed of the guest room. Vlad raised an eyebrow as he sat in a chair nearby. He could feel the tension in his muscles strain as he sat.

  
"Open arms?"

  
"Your uncle and Vikas were rather nice."

  
"Otis threatened you when he first came to get you."

  
Dorian shrugged.

  
"It's the nicest he's been since our little encounter in this house, Vlad."

  
Vlad was going to write those words off as nothing until Vlad thought them over again. The way Dorian said that, it almost sounded like...

  
"Wait...you and my uncle have talked since then?"

  
"Of course."

  
Vlad's heart thumped hard once.

  
"Where?"

  
"When you were visiting New York for his pretrial," Dorian answered without missing a beat. "When you ran off after yelling at him for trying to feed on that man in the park. We...chatted."

  
"And by chat, you mean...?"

  
Dorian laughed softly.

  
"He threw me up against the nearest building wall when I commented that it was nice to see you again."

  
'You', meaning, Vlad. He'd mentioned Vlad, and of course after the previous incident of watching his one and only beloved nephew almost be drained of all blood and left on the floor to die, Otis was going to react angrily. Otis wanted Vlad to have nothing to do with Dorian but seeing as Dorian was duty-bound and had no intention of not fulfilling his part of the prophecy, he would do what he wanted. It would have never stopped Otis from warning Dorian to keep away, but even so he would have done his best to at least intimidate Dorian.

  
"I'm surprised he didn't hurt you," Vlad said, trying to bring some sort of levity into the atmosphere, though that comment only made things darker.

  
"He wanted to. But he didn't."

  
"I can tell."

  
And then Dorian fell silent. His chest was rising and falling softly, and after a few minutes of that Vlad silently concluded Dorian was sleeping. It was almost odd to see a face that was always grinning and making light of the worst kind of situation so peaceful. He was calm, and alive. Vlad had to think about what he meant when he said that "this isn't what was foretold". Vlad wondered if maybe the prophecy stated in this sort of situation was where Dorian was supposed to die, but even so, it didn't matter. He was alive. He was breathing. He could live. Vlad thought that just maybe what was "foretold" might have been wrong all this time and Dorian was led to believe he was going to die tonight.

  
Vlad thought about it, but soon dozed off in the chair.

  
When he woke, his neck was stiff, but when he opened his eyes to the blankets neatly made up and smoothed out and Dorian gone, his breath left him.

  
He'd stomped down the steps to find his uncle and asked him if Dorian had left already, and with confirmation from Otis, Vlad's shoulders dropped. He'd been hoping to ask about what he meant the night before about being foretold something, but when Otis questioned why Vlad looked so down at that, Vlad wrote it off as nothing.

  
Dorian would come back. If Vlad knew one thing, it would be that Dorian would come back.

  
**.      .       .**

  
When Dorian did come back, it was only a few weeks later.

  
It was after he'd thrown Joss up against a wall, gotten into his face and asked him what the hell his problem was. Joss had tried to remind Vlad how it was as he explained in it in the hospital; they were natural enemies, vampire and slayer. But of course came along the agreement that they would be friends during the day, and enemies at night; two complete opposites, like each other. And it was going well, and Vlad even guessed somewhat he was enjoying fighting Joss at night because even if that was the time Joss was fine with shoving a stake through his chest again, he could still feel the friendship between them.

  
But not now. Vlad was furious. He told Joss he needed to apologize to Dorian when Dorian came back around because he wasn't involved in this. He was innocent, even if he was a vampire. He got someone unnecessary involved and almost killed him as well. It was careless and sloppy. Joss shook his head and told Vlad that though it was an accident and he had been aiming for Vlad and not Dorian, he couldn't apologize. When Vlad pressed on why, Joss had glanced down at the ground beneath his feet and said softly that even though he knows it's right to apologize, he just couldn't do it to Dorian.

  
Puzzled at his words, Vlad asked what he meant by that. Joss shook his head. He said softly, almost tenderly, that he couldn't say what Dorian has done. Shocked to hear that the two had interacted before, Vlad kept prying: when did you talk to him, why did he talk to you, what did he tell you; but Joss didn't say anything. Finally, when Joss had shaken his head for the umpteenth time, Vlad had pulled his fist back, ready to serious knock some sense into Joss when a hand caught his wrist.

  
And that's when Vlad had the pleasant knowledge to know his supposedly dead father was still alive.

  
That's also when Otis began to suspect something seriously wrong with Vlad when Vlad came home a mess. A wave of too much pressure at once, too many things happening. A visit from Em and Enrico (who thanked him multiple times for saving his son) later on forcing him to make him mention his father, and make an unwanted deal to bring him in and face the charges he needed to be tried on. It was the only way Vlad could seemingly help himself at the moment and though it had only made things get worse like that, at the same time it gave him what he desperately needed: time. Time was valuable at this point.

  
Vlad had went home and slammed the door behind him, thankful that Nelly was again working at the hospital tonight so she didn't have to question what was stressing him out. He was sure the person he saw had to be a delusion because, if he remembered correctly and all too well, he saw his father burning alive in his bed when he ran from school to home the moment he heard his house was on fire.

  
Dead fathers just don't rise out of their graves with no burn marks from the fire they had died in to stop their sons from seriously punching the hell out of a stubborn slayer who refused to be honest.

  
Vlad was about to start crying, to start to lose it again when he heard three careful knocks on the door only minutes later after he'd slammed it.

  
Vlad was shocked to find Dorian standing on the other side of the door.

  
"...Oh," Vlad immediately felt awkward with the way he looked right now; stressed out, and almost crying.

  
"Uh..."

  
Not to mention he was only a little spooked out because he was positive he's never shown Dorian or told him where his actual house was. The only house they'd ever interacted in was Otis's house. Dorian offered him a kind smile, his skin healthy once more and dressed in clean clothes. He looked better. Much, much better. He asked if he could come in and without hesitation, Vlad had stepped aside and granted access to the older vampire.

  
"Hey...?" Vlad offered softly, unsure of what to say.

  
"I visited my father," Dorian explained as Vlad closed the door and locked it once more, turning to Dorian to meet his eyes afterwards to listen to him. "Just to let him know what had happened. He told me to tell you he's appreciative of you for saving me."

  
He remembered Enrico's own fond words from earlier. It somewhat made Vlad happy to see Enrico proudly have Dorian as his son. Most of Elysia despised Dorian, but his father was nothing short of prideful to have Dorian be his family. Enrico had always been a kind soul.

  
"Okay...I...well, you're welcome." Vlad paused. The next few seconds that followed were purely silent, but when Vlad spoke up again, Dorian had seemingly been anticipating his words.

  
"So you're here to tell me that?" Vlad said with an unsure tone.

  
Dorian nodded.

  
"That, and...I never truly fulfilled why I visited you the other night before I was injured."

  
Vlad remembered that. He said he was going to share his secret with Vlad. But Vlad had been too focused on listening to listen to it. He knew it was related to the prophecy, but even if he was hungry for answers, Vlad had used his energy on helping Dorian. And of course that wasn't a bad thing, but he supposed that night might have been a little better if Vlad just knew a thing or two when they'd came to Otis's house.

  
Dorian watched Vlad curiously before speaking up again.

  
"Is there a place where we can sit?"

  
"Sit? Uh...I mean..."

  
"In private."

  
Vlad glanced around the house.

  
"It's just me home..."

  
"I'm aware."

  
Of course he was. Vlad had told him there was always his room, and Dorian said that would work perfectly. With the older vampire following closely behind him, Vlad opened the door to his room and they both stepped in. He supposed he was somewhat embarrassed with all of the nerdy posters on the wall, too immature for an old vampire like Dorian, but Dorian hardly paid mind to it.

  
Dorian told him to close it behind them before drawing the curtains in Vlad's room shut. Vlad could only wonder what Dorian was up to until Dorian took a seat on Vlad's bed now that the room lacked contact with the outside world.

  
"It is time for you to learn the prophecy."

  
Vlad's heart nearly shot into his ribs. He didn't want to sound desperate, but his voice was rushed when he replied.

  
"Really?"

  
"Yes."

  
Dorian pointed to the spot next to him.

  
"Sit, and do as I instruct."

  
Dorian's influences were surely back upon all of them, as Vlad found himself complying without even a moment's hesitation. He didn't need hesitation anyway. He wanted answers, and here Dorian was about to give him them. He sat on the bed next to Dorian, and he looked up at the older vampire, prepared to listen to him.

  
Save for the fact that he had no idea he didn't need to listen.

  
"There is only one way for you to truly understand the prophecy. You may not like this, but, unfortunately, my young friend, you have no choice. You have to do this."  
The thought of that made Vlad swallow harshly and give the man an unsure look. He didn't even know what it was he had to do yet, but when Dorian was reaching his wrist out, skin and veins exposed, Vlad glanced back up at Dorian, expecting him to give an explanation. Dorian licked his lips, and right then and there Vlad was reminded of Dorian's thirst for Vlad's own blood. Now that's gotten a taste of it, he doesn't doubt that hunger has only grown, but instead of being concerned about that, he listened to Dorian's words. He's actually kind of surprised right now that Dorian isn't trying to lash out at him.

  
"It was written into my blood, Vlad. It is apart of me."

  
Those words slowly sunk into Vlad. He had to think about what that meant before Vlad got the idea where this was going. He parted his lips to say it but instead fell silent once more. Dorian waited.

  
"I...I have to..."

  
He didn't want to say it. Dorian seemed to understand this. It wasn't that he was disgusted by the idea of biting Dorian and taking his blood, it was more so he was concerned on what it might do to him. He saw what happened when Otis just drank the blood of Dorian's son Aiden, and he was somewhat terrified to see what powers he might gain. Or if he would go crazy (again, Dorian was a madman). When he saw the unsure look on Vlad's face, a look of sympathy overcame Dorian.

  
"It'll be fine," he reassured. His voice was soft and gentle. It was completely unlike him. If Vlad was crazy, he might have assumed it was a whole other person. He's never heard Dorian sound so calm before.

  
"You don't have to take much. Just a taste, and you will be fine."

  
"I...do I have to?"

  
"Yes."

  
Vlad wanted to stall. He didn't know if he could do this. He really didn't. Just the idea of it made him nervous as all sorts of thoughts came rushing to his mind. It was mildly scary. He knew it was against the Elysian law to bite and drink from another vampire, and that would be another charge against him. But of course, who would find out if Vlad just didn't say anything? And he knew Dorian wouldn't either. There would be no benefit for him if he did that.

  
"If I just...drink your blood...I'll know the prophecy?"

  
Dorian caught on to his stalling very quickly, though instead of scolding him for it and telling him to just get it over with, he complied to Vlad's wishes to draw out this as long as possible. Maybe even Dorian understood that fear. He, of course, didn't want to make Vlad feel pressured, but Vlad knew this was a necessity. So did he. He could have been reflecting on the time he had the prophecy burned into his skin, and though biting and drinking blood was probably paradise compared to the pain and hunger he had to suffer for a whole year, he still sympathized.

  
"Yes," Dorian answered again. "Or at least, it will be infused in your blood as it has with mine."

  
Vlad nibbled his lower lip nervously. He wondered if he should say anything else, as Dorian was still offering his wrist to him.

  
"Do you prefer to bite the neck...?" Dorian finally mused. Vlad's eyes glanced back up to him, shaking his head immediately. He just didn't like to bite people. This wasn't particularly for a meal- rather out of necessity - but it still made him nervous. He treated Snow the same way back when she was still his drudge. Even if he lost his main food source, he's gotten by safely. Dorian finally sighed.

  
"Vladimir," he spoke, his voice soft. "What troubles you about this?"

  
Vlad shook his head, choosing not to answer that and swallowed hard.

  
It had to happened.

  
"...Nothing. Just...will it have weird side-effects?"

  
"Side-effects? ...Ah, you refer to Otis, don't you? Don't worry about that. I don't think it'll have the same effect on you as it did him."

  
He sounded so confident.

  
Vlad decided it would be fine. He did say it would only take a taste of Dorian's blood for him to understand the prophecy. So it would only last a few seconds. It kind of scared him, actually, because after all this searching he's done and all this reading and experiences, he was about to learn everything he was worth. He was the Pravus, he was the subject of the prophecy; it was who he was, and it would always be significant. This thing he heard about years ago only to tell himself then that he didn't believe in it. But he had to face the truth.

  
Vlad took a deep breath, Dorian's eyes never leaving Vlad. He built up what courage he knew he would need before he leaned forward and bit into Dorian's wrist abruptly. The skin popped loudly, enough that it made Vlad shiver with slight disgust (just because he was a vampire didn't mean those types of sounds were pleasant).

  
It all happened within the span of a second, surprising Dorian, a small gasp leaving his throat upon the sharp teeth digging into his skin. He sat still, but wasn't surprised after Vlad pulled away only seconds later with blood dripping from his teeth, to which he quickly licked off.

  
And the immense rush of power he felt was indescribable. Dorian didn't reach out to him, but kept that look of sympathy on his face as Vlad felt, saw, breathed - experienced what was supposed to be the prophecy, though the sad part was that he couldn't bring himself to say it, in detail, that he knew what was going to happen. This is what it was like for Dorian. He knew what the prophecy was, he knew what it was going to feel like as it rushed beneath his skin and coursed through his body; you didn't just know the prophecy, you felt it. You lived it. Knowledge through the experience that had yet to happen.

  
And then a soft noise of something climbing onto the bed came to the right of Vlad's ear. He was about to be drunk off of the feeling of power when familiar black fluffy fur and a low meow was heard. He turned and looked at Amenti happily padding over Vlad's lap, pausing when Vlad petted the top of her head to greedily soak in the attention before she made her way over to Dorian's lap. Dorian seemed puzzled when Amenti happily sat her pudgy and fluffy body down right there, purring, content.

  
"Well...uh...Amenti was in here. If that's okay."

  
Amenti softly meowed at the mention of her name. Dorian seemed to hesitate on raising his hand to gently pat the top of Amenti's head, and the cat purred even louder.

  
"Does she do this with everyone?"

  
And Vlad paused before he answered. He shook his head. A brief lie wouldn't hurt anything.

  
"Nope. She's usually not very friendly to strangers." Vlad laughed. "Guess she just likes you."

  
And though Dorian was always somehow smiling, even in the worst of times, Vlad saw a smile that was different from the ones he'd seen before. They'd all been devious, ironic and cunning before, but this smile...was filled with genuine happiness.

  
So Dorian liked cats, it seemed.

  
That was almost hard to believe.

  
**.      .      .**

  
And Dorian went silent for a while. It was after Vlad's dad had come back into his life that he saw Dorian again. It was after all of that drama had happened between them that Vlad had seen him come out of the shadows, casual as ever and greeted Vlad with a smile. The weight of the world was as heavy as ever on Vlad's shoulders but at this point, it was to be expected.

  
Vlad had only looked up at him with an expression of stress, and the first thing Dorian said before Vlad could get a word out himself was:

  
"You don't look well, my friend."

  
Vlad shook his head.

  
"Thanks."

  
"It was meant to be a concerned statement."

  
"I know."

  
Dorian pursed his lips, somewhat unhappy with Vlad's curt words, but when Vlad sighed and dropped his shoulders, along with his defenses, Vlad offered a small apologetic look.

  
"It's...been rough," was all Vlad said. His tone was weak, somewhat sad, and when Dorian came closer, enough that Vlad was almost surprised, he regarded Dorian with a curious expression. Dorian usually, for some reason, put distance between Vlad and himself when they were around one another, though Vlad could never figure out why. He was sure it had to deal with some of his own personal issues.

  
"It's something you can't tell anyone?" Dorian asked. Vlad shrugged his shoulders. Whether or not it was personal, Dorian could just go into his mind and see what it is. Dorian's expression fell into a grimace. He seemed almost offended by something.

  
"I wouldn't violate your space if it's unwanted."

  
But he had before.

  
"You asked me then. You can't hold me accountable for the proof you demanded."

  
Well, he was right. There was no arguing with that logic but when Vlad sank to be sitting on the pavement of the alley way with Dorian next to him, he decided that just maybe he needed to learn where to stop being so filled with impulse accusations. It wasn't a good habit to practice. Though when he got around to thinking about some things, he remembered a couple of things that both Joss and Dorian had said months back. Settling on one of the topics, he looked over to Dorian, who's eyes were stuck on watch the last of the fading rays of sun disappear from the sky. Vlad noticed a very, very thin layer of something shiny on his skin. Sunscreen.

  
"Dorian?"

  
"Yes?"

  
"What did you mean when you said you 'foretold' your death?"

  
Dorian paused at the question. He looked down at Vlad, who glanced back up at him, waiting for an explanation. Dorian seemed to consider this, though lowered himself on the ground beside of Vlad, sighing. He was troubled obviously. He didn't want to say anything, or just wanted to avoid the topic wholesomely. Dorian didn't seem like the type to openly talk about what problems he had, much less when it came to this and suddenly Vlad was scolding himself for asking that question. He realized how it might have been borderline rude and insensitive.

  
"I've had many dreams of that boy killing me, Vlad. It was destiny. It was supposed to be where I died. But you..." Dorian trailed off, his voice suddenly full of sorrow. Suddenly Vlad got the hint that maybe Dorian hadn't wanted to live anymore. Like he had been anticipating the end. Vlad pitied that thought until he realized that Dorian had said he lived a long life. Not to mention, likely a long life full of suffering.

  
"Sorry." Vlad spoke softly under his breath. Maybe, just maybe, he'd saved the wrong person from death. Despite seeing a lot of people die and Vlad unable to do anything, he thought that was his chance at redemption. But the person he saved had been looking forward to his own death.

  
"You had good intentions, and I appreciate that," Dorian explained. "But...it was...very nice to think I could rest peacefully after everything I've been through. A time where I may breathe my last breath, and not have to worry."

  
And he opened his mouth, as if to continue his words, but then closed it again. Moments later, he took a deep breath.

  
"I was ready to die, Vlad. Now that I have carried out my part of the prophecy...fulfilled my purpose...I'm a bit lost."

  
"What did you do before then?"

  
Dorian sighed.

  
"Traveled. Remember when I told you that I am fond of airplanes?"

  
Vlad nodded.

  
"I still do that. Though, at this point, it is safe to say that perhaps I've been everywhere I've needed to go."

  
Vlad wondered where all those places are. Dorian laughed lightly, though didn't comment on that thought. Vlad nearly rolled his eyes, though his minded wandered over to the second matter he had been dwelling on. A question that had weighed heavy on his mind ever since Joss refused to give him straight answers months back.

  
"...Joss made it sound like you two had met before. Is that true?"

  
"...Yes," Dorian replied, albeit his tone sounded somewhat pitiful. Even shameful. "We have...met."

  
"Where? And when?"

  
Dorian didn't seem so willing to talk about the chosen topic. Rather he fell very silent, and didn't look at Vlad for a while. He looked at the now star-filled sky, the look of contemplation and regret on his face. Vlad was beginning to think he'd never reply when Dorian's voice broke the silence.

  
"...I owe that boy many apologies."

  
Well, that was ironic to say, considering Joss was the one who almost killed him.

  
"In fact, I have said those apologies. But I feel as if they were never enough."

  
"Apologies...for what?"

  
Dorian's eyes lowered to the ground. It was obvious that something heavy weighed on his mind, but didn't want to speak about it. Vlad was about to say that Dorian didn't have to talk about it if he didn't want to but Dorian held up a hand, as if to silence Vlad. He regarded him with a look of sorrow, remorse, and yet anger.

  
"...The boy was born into a family of slayers," Dorian began. "And Em detested the idea of that. The McMillan slayers have...always been somewhat of a problem for vampires in the past. A feared family of slayers. They were trained more than properly - more then beyond what the Society had to offer. And Em couldn't handle the idea of another one of their children being raised to be one of them."

  
Dorian took a moment to swallow harshly.

  
"She sent me to kill every child in the McMillan house that night."

  
And suddenly, Vlad got the idea as to where this was headed.

  
"I started with...with the youngest. The daughter. She was just so peaceful in her bed...she was just so...angelic. She reminded me...of my own child."

  
Vlad didn't know what to say. Dorian cleared his throat, trying to keep the shame out of his expression but it was hard. It was there, and it was prominent in his features. He obviously wasn't proud for accepting the job Em gave but Vlad was also reminded that he said Em was the only vampire in existence that could kill him. He likely feared what she might do if he hadn't accepted, especially since this was before they met. Dorian would do what he had to do in the presence of her, even if it meant waiting on foot and hand. No wonder the two vampires were no longer on good terms anymore, seeing as Dorian had went against her orders. Though Vlad had to be curious as to why, out of all vampires, Em would choose someone like Dorian to do the task.

  
"...You...you killed Joss's sister?"

  
"No. I...could not. I wouldn't. Even if I have been responsible for terrible things in the past, taking the life of an innocent child...I could not do. So I turned her and erased Joss's memory of my face."

  
Vlad was speechless. When he saw the hurt look on Dorian's face from the lack of a reaction, he sighed with an air of burden.

  
"I let him believe his sister was dead. And that...is unforgivable. But necessary. Em though soon found out that the child was alive and well at my side as a vampire and demanded she see her. I was uncertain, but I allowed it."

  
"What...What did she do to her?"

  
And that was when Dorian finally decided to stop sharing such extensive details of his past.

  
"That is not my place to tell you. When the time comes, you should ask your friend what the rest of that tale is. Otherwise, I should have you know he knows very well his sister is alive and well."

  
Vlad had to be curious though...

  
"Why isn't she with him?"

  
And why was Joss hunting vampires when he'd personally seen the mercy of one of them? Dorian had saved his sister, protected her, made her well and safe and somehow Joss still had it in him to see vampires as bad? He had to think why, but couldn't piece a reason together. He also strongly remembered back when they had Thanksgiving and Joss had screamed when Vlad almost sat down in the seat they set aside for his 'dead' sister. He had been acting like she was still dead; especially when Vlad had calmly said he was thankful for Joss and his sister. Just saying her name had set Joss off. Enough to beat him to the ground outside of the house when they were left alone until Vikas came along and broke it up.

  
But why all of that if he knew she was alive? Vlad did consider for a moment that maybe he did it for the mental and emotional health of his parents. He did remember the empty appearance his mother had on her face when they met. Her eyes had lost the positive gleam they surely had at one point, and she looked as if she didn't get out a lot.

  
Vlad directed his attention back at Dorian.

  
"For her safety. There are too many dangers out there threatening her life. She will have to remain where she is for as long as she lives."

  
If that wasn't a scary thought, but it was one he could relate to. He supposed it sounded a lot like his own situation.

  
The stars shined brightly upon the two though Vlad made no move to push himself up and off of the ground to leave, but the second he began to consider that he felt Dorian's hand softly touch his elbow. Vlad raised his eyes to meet his, and Dorian merely offered a smile before his hand slipped away just as quickly as it came. Vlad wasn't sure what to make of the abrupt friendly contact until Dorian was speaking up again.

  
"What ails you, my friend? I believe we've had enough talk of me tonight."

  
And Vlad didn't really know where to start. In all honesty, a bit too much was happening all at once and it was just going to continue to pile on through the school year if Vlad knew anything about his luck and how much relief he managed to get during a time period. Which is to say, those periods where nothing was going wrong was brief, unexpected and rather accepting to just lay back and soak in before the next problem came. He supposed he should stop getting his hopes up but honestly, after years of putting up with all of this, it was just like stepping into a warm shower after a long day. Relaxing, you can just lay your head back and breath and let the warmth of the water just soothe you to the core...Vlad just kind of wished the next break like that would hurry and show it's face.

  
"This human brat wants me to make him a vampire."

  
"Oh?"

  
Dorian didn't sound surprised for some reason. Vlad wasn't going to question that.

  
"Yeah...the jerk is threatening to expose me if I don't do what he wants. I considered making him my drudge but apparently he's working with someone who'll pick up on it and expose me anyway if I did that."

  
Vlad sighed loudly.

  
"So it's a bunch of...really stupid damn things."

  
And not to mention the major issue. He wasn't entirely sure if Dorian had known all this time, as he seemed like the person that would know everything that's going on even if he wasn't around enough to learn about it all. Vlad wasn't sure if he should bring it up or not until he decided, quite literally, to just say screw it. It's not often he feels this comfortable talking to people about his issues, mainly because people (Nelly) were always telling him he was just stressed, and it meant nothing major, and it was all in his head, blah, blah, blah...the usual spiel when people just didn't want to look further into the facts that Vlad knew was right now.

  
"My dad is alive."

  
That got Dorian to raise an eyebrow at him.

  
"...Really?"

  
"Yep. Believe it or not, but..."

  
Vlad sighed.

  
"I know what I saw."

  
"You're sure it's him?"

  
Dorian sounded genuinely surprised.

  
"I know what I saw," Vlad repeated, making his gaze pointed as he turned it on Dorian, who was nothing but shocked. And the other half to that issue beyond it just being a miracle that after all these years of being abandoned by his own family was the deal he made with Em to make him have little bit longer to live. He didn't want to make the deal. He never wanted to make the deal. In fact, he didn't make the deal. Em forced it on him or else he would have been killed.

  
"I believe you," Dorian said. "But..."

  
"I don't know how either, so don't ask."

  
Vlad rubbed at his forehead, irritated.

  
"I just want to know why he kept his distance after all these years."

  
Dorian pursed his lips, finally looking away. He didn't seem prepared to hear that type of news. Maybe it's because Vlad was constantly insisting with the Council that his dad was dead, only to prove himself wrong. That by itself Vlad was sure Em was going to worm a crime out of but it didn't matter to him. He and his father were in enough trouble with the Council so one more charge on top of all the others wasn't going to hurt him anymore than it already was. It was ridiculous in the end. All of the stupid laws...

  
"I do not doubt he had reasons." Dorian said.

  
"I don't doubt that either. It's just...he could have...sent me letters. Left me more clues then he did. I just...it's stupid."

  
"Have you seen him?"

  
"Of course."

  
Dorian swallowed hard.

  
"Where is he?"

  
"Right now? Uh...I don't know? I saw him last night. We...played...video games, actually. It was fun."

  
And again, Dorian managed a smile. For some reason the thought must have been endearing to him. Maybe it was because he was hearing about Vlad's own personal situation finally working out somewhat (even if overall it wasn't). Vlad knew maybe his issues sounded petty compared to the regret and remorse Dorian was going through having been expecting his death that never came and now is facing every single thing he has ever done wrong. That was likely hard to do, as facing what you've done wrong any time is hard to do. Sitting through it and thinking about it might as well be reliving that painful moment.

  
When Vlad raised his head to talk to Dorian again, it was like he had been talking to thin air.

  
He was gone. It left Vlad breathless.

  
He wasn't sure what to do with all of the information he had just learned. He supposed he wouldn't mention any of it to Joss right away, but there was the fact that slowly he was beginning to learn things he suspected he shouldn't know a lot about.

  
Now to deal with that brat, Eddie Poe.

  
He could figure out a solution that resulted fairly on both ends that didn't end up with the little rat turning into a bloodsucking creature of the night.

  
**.      .      .**

  
And Vlad didn't see Dorian again until after the very end.

  
After he had graduated, after all of that mess had happened, after Snow became a vampire...his father killing Aunt Nelly, his father then dying by Vlad's own hands...

  
Vlad couldn't get over that. It had been a miracle. Another, dull, and stupid miracle. Sure, he was angry when his father showed up again and that was only because he let Vlad grow up believing he had killed his parents that night by simply turning off their alarm clocks to go to school by himself. To prove he was mature. To prove to his parents he knew how to handle himself all the way to school. Which, back then, had been a major deal to him, but now it was petty. Everything was petty. Everything was ridiculous, stupid, and all of it has all just been a major facade he wished he saw through sooner. Anything he had ever trusted had betrayed him in one way or another and that was the part that hurt the most.

  
"I knew."

  
And Vlad froze. He had been going on just a nightly walk, but the familiar voice made him freeze. Vlad turned his head, much like he had almost a year and a half ago the night below the belfry and had been terrified to hear it then, and met Dorian's eyes.

  
"...I knew he was alive."

  
Vlad knew what he was implying. For some reason, it just went over his head. In through one ear and out through the other. There was no point in being shocked at the things people hid from him. He could always find out, one way or another, what the truth was now. To think he had this scary power where he could just mutter a word to someone and that would obey without question. Vlad didn't have to walk around clueless ever again.

  
"You knew?"

  
"I always did."

  
Vlad didn't have it in him to be angry. Maybe if it were a few months prior to this all he would have had it in him. But why did he sound so surprised that night when Vlad mentioned he was alive?

  
"So why didn't you say anything?"

  
Vlad didn't mean to sound so bitter but the world was falling down around him and he knew it would never cease to shatter. Vlad knew who he was now. He knew who he was going to be forever. It was painful knowing he'd have to live on in this way but he have to swallow harshly and deal with it. The phrase, "Ignorance is bliss" was likely the statement Vlad found himself jealous over. It was true. It was sadly true, and he somewhat wishes he could reverse time back to eighth grade when this all happened and he'd known none of the things he'd known now. He thought he was struggling then but he'd much rather have the struggles he did when he was thirteen then the problems he had now. Otis had suggested some therapy with perhaps a good vampire friend Otis knew, but Vlad quietly mumbled he's had enough of meeting new people for a while.

  
He bit his tongue and held back any curses he had to say because, in all honesty, what did it matter now? His father was only as selfish as D'Ablo; only wanted his Pravus powers. His dad after all this time revealed himself to be the murderer of his mother, and Dorian's son. Nelly was dead because of his dad as well. Vikas, his mentor, the person he'd come to wholesomely see as a good friend and a good person, only turned out to be the person that had been working with his father all this time. There was no delving into what the root of the problem was with a therapist because Vlad knew what the damn issue was:

  
Everything was hell.

  
"I wanted to, actually. But before I wasn't sure if you'd believe me if your father was still alive. Before the staking incident, you were very mistrusting of me. Afterwards, not as much, but your father coming back into your life and hearing how positive it was...you would have only been angry at me if I claimed he was planning to take your life and your powers."

  
Dorian sighed.

  
"I...hope you accept my apologies. You...are in a lot of pain."

  
Vlad didn't register it right away, but his throat was tightening, and tears were gathering in the corners of his eyes. That was the last thing he wanted to do was cry - especially in front of Dorian of all people - because what use were they? Crying never fixed anything and they surely weren't going to fix Vlad's own sad, pitiful dismal dilemma.  
  


Everything was done and over with. All the bad influences and bad people were gone from his life, so there was no need to cry. He thought after all these years of being through the worst, he'd be numb to it all.

  
Apparently not.

  
"Sorry," Vlad finally said. His voice was soft.

  
"Why do you apologize?"

  
Vlad tried not to let his words shake as he spoke, but failed.

  
"About your son. I never knew my dad was that awful."

  
Dorian's eyes lowered to the ground. It didn't seem as if he wanted to speak much about the topic but had a lot to say either way. Vlad wondered why Dorian would keep quiet about all of this though. True, before he killed his dad, he did say Dorian did what he could to expose him and his evil plans with Vlad's mom, but perhaps after Aiden died, he lost all hope against fighting Tomas. Even if Dorian was the one vampire who could not be defeated, it still seemed like Tomas had done the worst he could, right next to killing Dorian himself: kill his son. If he couldn't take Dorian down, he'd make him suffer for trying to interfere.

  
Dorian frowned seconds later. If Vlad wasn't crazy, he would have believed he saw a small tear forming in the corner of his eye just now. Dorian shook his head softly.

  
"Out of all things I predicted...I never saw his death coming."

  
Dorian's hands slowly lowered to slide into his pockets. He was still trying to be casual, but that was obviously hard. You don't exactly be 'casual' when you're talking about the murder of your child that you had sent to try and save a human woman who was trying to save herself and her son from her insane husband who was only hungry for power after all this time.

  
"I get it." Vlad said. "...This all was just...a giant mess, huh?"

  
"Prophecies have never been depicted as easy."

  
Somehow, through their tears, they both laughed softly.

  
A random thought slowly entered Vlad's head when he took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. It was abrupt, and something Vlad hadn't thought of in a while. He raised his eyes to meet Dorian's again, surprised to find the man had come closer to him, but instead of commenting on it, he raised an eyebrow at the man. He supposed he's just beginning to notice Dorian's odd behavior. Very kind. Dorian was always kind, but always in the manner that was unsettling and made Vlad feel like Dorian was secretly plotting his death or something.

  
"...You...haven't tried to attack me lately," Vlad said, trying to push away the topic of before.

  
"My friend, you say that as if you want me to."

  
Vlad shivered. Dorian offered an apologetic expression.

  
"Well...it's weird, is all."

  
"How so?"

  
"Just not like you."

  
Dorian raised an eyebrow at that accusation. Well, he made it seem like an accusation rather then a statement. Vlad shrugged, not really sure how he expected Vlad to make up for that last comment. Vlad took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind for once by breathing in the air of Bathory. As much as he loved this place, having grown up here all his life, it was a bit painful to breathe in the air now. The air of this small, lovely place had been tainted. It was disgusting. To have this town be ruined by, by - well, if he's being honest, a lot of people. It wasn't just slayers. It wasn't just vampires. Or just humans. It was more so a lovely combination of the mix.

  
"...Here, my friend."

  
Dorian was suddenly reaching out for him, his hand holding something within it. Vlad raised an eyebrow, curious, uncertain, but still held his own hand out and accepted the item Dorian was offering. He curled Vlad's fingers over it once it was in the center of his palm and drew away. Vlad glanced down at it with curiosity, though was somewhat surprised to see a gold ring with a red jewel stuck in the center. Vlad had to hold his breath when he realized, quite possibly, it was all real. Dorian was always on a plane somewhere so it wouldn't be crazy to think he had the money to afford something like this.

  
"Um..."

  
"It belonged to my bride."

  
And again, Vlad had to hold his breath. His eyes shot up to meet Dorian's, suddenly not so much caring about whether or not he was holding a million dollar ring in his hand. Of all things he thought Dorian might have said just now, that was the last thing he was expecting.

  
"You...you had a..."

  
"Yes. Aries was rather a tough woman, but unfortunately taken away from me by one of the McMillan slayers."

  
Dorian sighed with an air of burden.

  
"It belonged to her. But, seeing as I plan to...disappear for a while...I thought I'd give it to you for safe keeping."

  
Well, Vlad was fine with that. But first...

  
"Was Aries...human?"

  
Dorian shook his head.

  
"Vampire. We met before the prophecy was engraved in me. We planned to wed just before the process was to happen, but...it seemed one of the Society's slayers found her."  
Dorian swallowed harshly. Dorian and the McMillan family had quite the history, it seemed. An unpleasant one.

  
"Cruelly enough, it was the night before the wedding."

  
Ouch. Vlad winced at that.

  
"I never got to tell her how much I loved her."

  
Double ouch.

  
"Jeez," Vlad finally said, holding up his hands. "That's...awful. I'm...sorry that all had to happen."

  
And again Dorian shrugged casually. Maybe he's lived through it all to become numb to the pain of loss and tragedies. Even if Dorian never implied it, Vlad knew the man had a lot going on in his own personal life. Vlad wasn't really sure why Dorian would tell or give something like this to Vlad, though Vlad had his own suspicion that maybe Dorian felt the same as Vlad when it came to realizing that they both felt like outcasts. Maybe Dorian was realizing he related a lot to Vlad. They would always have that weird type of bond in their friendship.

  
"I'll...I'll keep it safe," Vlad promised, slipping the ring onto his middle finger. It fit perfectly. Dorian nodded, thankful and appreciative.

  
"But, uh..." Vlad began before he could walk off. "Where are you going?"

  
"...Somewhere. I don't know where, but I'll be gone for a long time."

  
"Will you at least send letters?"

  
And Dorian went silent. He seemed to consider this, uncertain of what to tell Vlad until he turned back around.

  
"I wouldn't look forward to them, but, perhaps."

  
It wasn't a definite answer but Dorian turned around, taking his leave. Their meeting had been so brief but something was swelling in Vlad's chest. He glanced down at the ring on his hand, and a small smile touched his lips as he ran his fingertips over the red gem. It was cool and smooth to the touch. Vlad found himself admiring it. Surely Otis would ask where he got it from but he'd do his best to write it off as an old friend gave it to him.

  
That's what Dorian felt like anyway. A very good friend. A loyal one. One that had done what he could in the past to protect Vlad, and suffered for it. But he still tried. Dorian might have tried to use him for his blood when they first met, but Vlad still couldn't deny the fact that he did what he could in the past to try and get his mother away from his father and he appreciated that wholesomely.

  
And that's what mattered most to Vlad. Dorian wasn't the monster everyone wanted to assume he was, and Vlad was kind of glad he got to experience who Dorian truly was in the end.

  
**.      .      .**

  
Vlad never heard from Dorian for months. Which, Vlad was okay with. He understood the older vampire had a life but that didn't stop that faint worry from worming its way into his head and staying there for him to think about every so often. Eventually it began to fade when he started Stokerton University in the fall, and he'd been too busy with all the new confusion of school to worry about other things. And to think it had been months since a single incident had happened to him. It was like a prolonged vacation, almost never-ending. Too good to be true. Things had settled with a morbid air from all the losses people had suffered, but with time, they would all heal.

  
Vlad suspected hundreds of years would pass for him before he could look Otis in the eye again and say he was truly okay.

  
Him and Snow were still having a great relationship. Snow enjoyed being a vampire and didn't really seem to find any down sides to it. Otis had taken up along with Vlad trying to help her control her abilities she was quickly developing. Vlad had to help her keep her hunger under control either way; she was drinking at least six blood bags a day. Otis had mentioned to maybe let her feed from the source once to let her calm that hunger down but Vlad had said no from the start. He knew how addicting it was to feed from a human, and that was a habit Vlad didn't want to instill in her.

  
One day while Vlad had been working furiously on homework due to his very first professor he saw in college tomorrow, Otis had walked over to him and dropped a clean, white pristine letter on top of all his homework. It didn't mess up his neatly made mess of papers, but it was enough to make Vlad feel slightly disrupted. Vlad looked up at him in surprise, and all Otis did was offer a smile and told Vlad to keep working hard, but also that he had some mail he could use an excuse to take a brief break to read. Vlad had watched his uncle leave his room, clicking the door shut behind him.

  
Vlad's fingers gently ran over the front of the envelope before flipping it over, tearing it open in a single swift motion to pull out the just as clean white letter inside. It had traveled safely, it seemed, as Vlad pulled open the neatly folded paper to read the content. The handwriting was beautifully written; it almost made Vlad embarrassed to look at his own on the papers on the desk.

  
_"My friend,_

  
_I hope this finds you well. If I remember correctly, you have been rather busy with education. Which is good. As for myself, I cannot say much of my location. I ask that you do not seek me out until I am ready to be sought, Vladimir. As I have said, it's nice to have thought after everything I've been through that I could rest peacefully without a worry. But it didn't happen that way, and it troubles me._

  
_I will take the time you have granted me as a gift and I will think and accept how things are. I need you to understand, Vladimir, that by itself will take a lot out of myself. So I cannot promise I will return very soon. It could be years. But, as you have asked, when I am feeling up to it, I will write to you. I cannot promise these letters will be frequent but I hope they will be enough to soothe your worries about me._

  
_You will grow to be a great man, Vladimir. You're already one. I would like you to make me proud the next time I see you. And I never truly said it, but, I am thankful that you saved my life. I did not mean to imply that I was ungrateful. I hope you can forgive me for my poor manners._

  
_I hope to write again soon. Be sure to take care of yourself._

  
_\- Dorian."_

  
Vlad lowered the letter away to the desk with a smile. It was nice to hear from him after going a few months without a word from him. Enrico had been concerned and called up Vlad not too long ago to ask if Dorian had communicated with him recently and Vlad had to disappointingly tell him he hadn't. He'd call up Enrico again tomorrow just to reassure him his son was fine, but having some time to think to himself about his life.

  
He wouldn't share details of the letter, as he would think Dorian would want, but he would do his best to tell as much as possible to soothe the worries of a good father.

  
.      .      .

  
Vlad received a few more letters, but eventually they stopped coming. Vlad was bothered by it, but didn't tell Otis why he looked disappointed every time he checked the mail. Otis had tried more then once to pry at who was sending the letters but Vlad kept telling Otis he'd appreciate it if he left them for Vlad to read. As much as he trusted his uncle, he knew Otis wouldn't approve of him receiving letters from someone like Dorian. Of course there was a lot Otis didn't understand about Dorian, especially all the pain Dorian has been through beyond just the pain of having the prophecy engraved in him, but it wasn't up to him to go around and start spilling the details of his life. He knew Dorian had his reasons for sharing the stories with Vlad, so he wanted to respect that by keeping them to himself.

  
It didn't stop him from worrying though. Dorian had said not to worry if they didn't come in as frequently but even so, a mind like Vlad's was quick to think maybe something was wrong. He had to let it happen, either way, because Dorian had specifically instructed Vlad for him not to be sought out unless he wanted it. So Vlad kept himself in line, put a few more books on his shelf to read, and read to keep his mind busy. Snow was out and about with October and the gang, and though they wanted Vlad to come, he politely declined he'd like to sit inside tonight.

  
But even so, after a few words on the page, he couldn't process what he was reading. So he slowly set the book down on his lap as the door to his room opened. He hurriedly picked his book back up.

  
Otis slipped inside, quiet to do so, though when he turned and saw Vlad reading, he sighed.

  
"It's not that I feel as if I have a right to know everything," Otis began. Vlad didn't look away from the book. "But it's not like you to tell your friends you don't want to be with them."

  
"I didn't say it like that," Vlad replied with a defensive tone. "I just...didn't want to go out tonight, is all."

  
"I can see that. A book is a much more nice way to spend a Saturday night then going out, eh?"

  
Vlad smiled. Otis laughed.

  
"But, back to my original point...you've been down lately."

  
Vlad sighed, closing the book almost instantly. Otis knew he'd touched a nerve, and he wasn't entirely sure how to tread lightly to not set him off.

  
"I'm just concerned, is all," Otis said.

  
"I know."

  
"Is it those letters?"

  
Otis didn't beat around the bush. But anyone with eyes could have seen that Vlad was upset over that. Even Snow picked up on it after a while, asking him why they were so important to him but he told the same exact thing to whoever's asked about the letters: they're from an old friend. An old friend that he missed a lot. An old friend that's been doing his best to keep in contact. Vlad was actually kind of surprised Otis didn't guess it was Dorian; maybe he just didn't suspect a sort of mutual respect between the two, much less something like a friendship.

  
But maybe Vlad could be honest.

  
"Yeah," Vlad admitted. "I'm just...kind of worried about the person who's been sending them."

  
"Why?"

  
Vlad slowly slid the book away from him, sitting up on his bed. He didn't really know where to start with it all other then give a brief summary of the situation without letting too much on who the person was.

  
"He...left...kind of abruptly. He said he had a lot on his mind, and he was going away for a while. He told me specifically that no matter how silent he went, even if it's for hundreds of years, to never seek him out."

  
Otis's face fell into a sort of sympathetic look. Of course, there was also the look of wonder there as well as he was clearly trying to match the situation up to a face. He wanted to know who was sending them, and Vlad was nearly anticipating the question the next time Otis opened his mouth, coming forward to sit on the edge of Vlad's bed.

  
"Who is it?"

  
Vlad bit his lower lip. He gave his uncle a nervous look, to which Otis was surprised to see. That made him suspicious.

  
"Is it someone you don't want me to know about?"

  
Vlad shrugged.

  
"...You don't exactly like him."

  
It would give him away, but what did Vlad have to hide anymore?

  
"...Oh. Is it..." Otis began, though clearly didn't want to be the one of the two to say the supposedly cursed name.

  
"Dorian."

  
"Dorian?"

  
That wasn't the name they were about to say? Who was Otis thinking of? Vlad glanced up at Otis, who met his eyes with shock, though it quickly faded when he saw the worry in Vlad's eyes. He reached out to his nephew and gave his shoulder a soft, reassuring squeeze. Of course he didn't know what to say, but at least he did his best right away to do something.

  
"...So he left?" Otis asked.

  
"He has...a lot of problems," was all Vlad could say, but decided against telling Otis that Dorian was the one who gifted him the ring.

  
"I...that's easy to tell," Otis joked, though quickly wiped the smile from his face when he saw how serious the look in Vlad's eyes were.

  
"Vladimir, I'm sure whatever it is you're worried about, it's nothing. If he said he didn't want to be bothered, then I would leave him be."

  
But that would be the part that Vlad found the hardest, he concluded, as Otis stood from the bed and began walking toward the door. When his hand touched the knob, he paused, then turned back to Vlad with a slight shimmer of worry in his eyes.

  
"Ever since you drank from..."

  
Otis stopped, reconsidered what he was about to say, and then walked out.

  
Vlad only rolled his eyes.

  
**.      .      .**

  
Vlad had no choice. He grew up. He graduated college, got a pretty stable job as a manager in a nice store (that he some days wished he could have better patience with, but, irritation came with life is what he found), and came home everyday to Snow waiting with open arms and a heart full of love.

  
Though he hadn't truly gotten over everything that had happened, he'd come to accept he was slowly getting better. He still laid in bed at night, wide awake, sorting things out in his mind and trying to just make himself realize that it all had happened, there was no changing what had happened, and there was nothing he could do to bring everything back to the way it was. Growing older like this, even years after it had happened, was going to be agonizingly difficult. Especially since he's seemingly stuck with the face of an eighteen year old; he was much, much older than that and yet he still looked like he just got out of high school.

  
Vlad would have to ask Otis at some point how he does it. How he manages to have a job as a vampire, seeing as Vlad knows he won't be able to be principal at Bathory High forever, unless he wanted to be known as the principal that somehow never dies even after a 100 years had passed.

  
Dorian never sent another letter. Vlad knew it was nothing personal, but occasionally, maybe once in a while, though it had drifted far from his mind, it came back to bug him as a worried thought. Dorian could take care of himself, Vlad knew that, but slayers still existed, as well as normal world dangers out there. He had no choice but to put his faith in the man. He could never figure out where Dorian was, even after all these years. It was a complete mystery.

  
But Vlad got his answer one night when he was glancing up at the belfry he hadn't been up in for years.

  
The air was already cold. It was early December, and he called out to Otis that he would be going for a small walk and be back later in the night. Otis had nodded, too busy with papers to truly listen to anything his nephew was telling him, but he didn't take any offense from it (being principal had apparently been a larger challenge then Otis had been anticipating, but after so many years of doing it, he was getting better).

  
He didn't know why he decided he wanted to visit the belfry, seeing as he thought he was done with it years ago. It had been apart of his dad, and he wanted to completely cut that man out of his life the much he could without wholesomely letting go of the times he remembered being held by his dad when he was young and everything had been happy. Those were the times he didn't want to get rid of, even if they were all a bunch of lies. But they meant something important to Vlad, and both he and Otis respected that.

  
It was a part of him Vlad could never truly let go without thinking it was wrong of him.

  
That was too much to be thinking about tonight. He just wanted to check it out and see how it's aged. Maybe if he felt well enough in there, he could clean it up and use it as his space again. He was sure more than a few families of spiders had made it their nice, cozy home but that was nothing a little bug spray couldn't fix. And the dust could be rid of with some dusting.

  
He was about to float himself up there, preparing to do it with ease when a familiar voice made his heart, and the air around him freeze.

  
"You haven't changed a bit, my friend."

  
Vlad didn't know what to do at first. He thought maybe his mind was playing tricks on him again, but when a low chuckle rang out behind him, Vlad turned his head sharply, his heart still skipping multiple beats as he met familiar eyes and a posture he was more then well acquainted with. He had a smile on his face, but Vlad was stuck in disbelief. He tried to speak, but his words failed to come out. After a few moments of sputtering, he managed a word clear enough to be understood.

  
"Dor...Dorian?"

  
"Yes?"

  
Dorian laughed again, bemused at his reaction as he watched Vlad try and gather himself on spot, embarrassed for having gone unresponsive.

  
"I-It's just...it's been so long, I thought you might have..."

  
"Grown bored of you? No. Not at all."

  
Vlad managed a brief smile, though it slowly melted into anger.

  
"You did get bored of writing to me, though."

  
"Things came up."

  
"For twenty years, things came up?"

  
Dorian shrugged his shoulders, and it almost made Vlad curl his fingers into a fist. He wasn't expecting a complete apology from Dorian but he would have loved a little sympathy for being left hanging on the quiet end for years on end. He would've taken a swing at the vampire, but even when he moved closer to Dorian, all he found himself doing was pulling him into a tight hug when he raised his hands.

  
Dorian let out a soft gasp of surprise, definitely not used to friendly contact like this, but after a few moments, he awkwardly, but willingly, rested his hand on Vlad's back. It was a loose hug on his end, but it was the best he could manage.

  
"Dammit," Vlad cursed under his breath. "I...well, I missed you. Is all."

  
"Hah, I can tell."

  
"Don't laugh," Vlad said, pulling away and resting his hands on the older vampire's shoulders. He sighed with an air of happiness, but then was taking a few steps away from him to give Dorian the space he seemingly required to feel comfortable. He had an abundance of questions, preparing to ask them all but first straighten them up in his mind. He had to know where Dorian went, how it was, how he was, how he felt; all of the generic stuff before they could dive into the deeper topics, but when he looked up to see Dorian licking his lips, a hungry gleam in his eyes, a certain fear he remembered from years ago suddenly grabbed at his mind.

  
"Oh," Vlad said, then stepped further away. He knew what that meant.

  
This was all too familiar.

  
"Rather hungry," Dorian commented. Vlad rolled his eyes, preparing to chew the vampire out, but instead found himself smiling slowly. Vlad was questioning why he wasn't trying to seriously knock some sense into the older vampire, but it didn't take him long to realize why he wasn't doing anything to tell Dorian to sit back and keep himself in check long enough for the two to talk to one another.

  
Because this had been normal to Vlad at one point in his life. One point in his life that though it was hard to live in at the moment, it had a lot of what Vlad missed. Family that he missed, some friends, when he was still stuck under the delusion his dad was dead, Vikas was a nice, cheerful man that genuinely cared about Vlad...it was all so easy then.   
Dorian attacking him was normal. It had been subconscious at one point for Vlad to look out for him if he went walking for the night.

  
It was a familiar thing that Vlad missed.

  
"Not happening," was all Vlad said.

  
"You sound sure of yourself."

  
Dorian took a step forward.

  
"Because I am."

  
"Oh?"

  
"You can't have my blood, even if we're friends," Vlad continued, but the second Dorian was running for him, he easily dodged the attack, but kept the smile on his face.

  
Because this was what he missed.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Dorian so much RIP me.
> 
> I'm gonna write more fics of Dorian because why the hell not.


End file.
